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P. HAYES AND J. E. BARNHAR T.

ROTARY SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1917. RENEWED OCT. 26. 1918.

Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET INVENTORS WETNESSES I. P. HAYES AND J. E. BARNHART.

ROTARY SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7, 19H. RENEWED OCT-25,1918.

Patented June 3,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FEE-Q1 NVENTOR$ JOEE! I9. HdYES AND J EH1? TE. BARNHAH'E, Q15 PITTSBURGH, EEEQ'NSYLVANIA'.

EQTARY SHELF-SKETCH.

Application filed July 17, 1917, eerialflo. 18L07G. Renewed Gctober 26, 191s.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN P. HAYES and JOHN E. BARNHART, citizens of the United Sitates, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useiul limprovements in Rotary Snap-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

@ur invention relates to improvements in switches and more particularly to rotary quick make and break switches carrying various elements adapted for receiving and distribution of electrical circuits.

The objects are to construct such. a device having a more positive action than those heretofore constructed, providing a switch in which the contacts are rotated into and out of operative connection.

Further objects are to provide a device in a simple, compact and readily availa'ble form, providing ample room and capacity for attachment and connection of the various conductor elements, and to insure a-quick make and break of the circuit by a spring tension operative mechanism, and to be so arranged as to prevent the operator coming in contact with the conductor parts.

In the accompanying drawings, we have shown a preferred arrangement and construction of a switch embodying our invention so as to give a full understanding of its construction and o eration, but desire to have it understood t at the arrangement and construction as shown may be varied from without departin from the scope of the invention as embodied in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch in operative connection, 7

Fig. 2 is a view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of our switch on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. a is a central sectional view of th device, and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the operating mechanism.

In the construction shown in the drawings, 2 represents the base of the switch made of insulating material. n the upper side of the base 2 are mounted terminal blocks 3, 3, e, a, 5 and 5, respectively, and

specification of Letters Eatent.

on the terminal blocks are secured. clip con: tacts 6, 6, Y, 7, 8, 8, 9 and v9, respectively. The terminal blocks are provided with suitable binding posts 10. v

Secured on the base 2 adjacent each end are suitable supporting brackets 11 adapted to carry a rotatable shaft or stem 12. llhe shaft 12 carries blade contacts 13, 14-, 15 and 16 adapted to contact with the clip contacts 6, 6, '2', 7, S, 8', 9 and 9, respectively. The several blade contacts may be of well known construction and are insulated from the shaft 12.

The switch is actuated by the rotary shaft 12 and an operating handle 17 through suit-' able gearing and quick acting mechanism, whereby to make and break the contact. The operative mechanism is mounted within or upon a suitable metallic casing or hearing 18 secured to the base 2 in any manner desired and adapted to support or carrythe central portion of the shaft 12.

The operating mechanism comprises a coil spring 19 having its one end secured to the shaft 12 and its other end seclired to a surrounding casin or drum 20 which is adapted to be rotate to tighten the tension of the spring 19 by suitable gearing operated by the handle 1?". Gears, 22-23 are securdto the drum 20 and are adapted to mesh with gears 24: and. 25 mounted on a shaft 26 journaled in the casinglS.

The operating handle 17 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 26 and has suitable spring retracting mechanism 27 secured thereto. Mounted on the handle 17 is a stub shaft 28 having dog pinions 29 and 30 thereon adapted to engage the gears 24 and 25 to rotate the same. Mounted in the casing or hearing 18 is .a shaft 81 having other dog pinions 32 and 33 mounted thereon adapted to engage and hold the gears 24 and 25 in position.

The snap or quick make and break mechanism comprises a cam member 34 integral with or secured to the gear 23. A retaining or looking band 35 is mounted so as to surround the cam 34 and has an abutment 33 on its outer periphery adapted to be engaged by'either of the lugs, or co-actin abutments, 37 and 38 of the casing 18. lug 39 is formed on the band 35 and is hit tit

adapted to be engaged within a slot 40 in a disk 41 secured on the shaft 12. The cam 34'when rotated is adapted to engage the inner periphery of the band 35 thus sliding the band in such a manner that the abut ment 36 will be disengaged from either the lug 37 or 38 and permit the shaft to rotate until the abutment 36 again comes in contact with one of the lugs 87 or 38.

The operation of our device will be readily understood from the above description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, it being particularly noted that our device gives a sure snap action and a positive contact at each revolution of the shaft 12.

The invention may be changedor varied in construction, arrangement or details by the skilled mechanic, or adapted to various applications of use by the skilled electrician, but all such changes are to be considered within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim is:

1. A switch of the class described comprising a b'ase,*, a rotary shaft carrying contacts supported on said base, a drum rotatably inounted on said shaft, a coil spring Within said drum and having one end secured to said shaft and its other end to said drum, gears on said drum, an operating lever connected by other gears to said firstnamed gears and adapted to rotate said drum to tension said spring, a cam secured to said drum and adapted to rotate therewith, a band mounted around said cam and having a projection thereon adapted to engage stationary stop members, and a looking member secured to said shaft and positively engaging a lug on said band. I

2. A switch comprising a base havin contact members thereon, a rotary sha supported on said base and carrying contacts, a' drum on said shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end secured to said drum, means for rotating said drum to tension said spring, a cam secured to said drum and adapted to rotate therewith, a band mounted around said cam and having a projection thereon adapted to engage stationary stop members, and a locking disk member secured to said shaft and positively engaging a lug on said band.

3. A switch comprising a base of insulating material having contact members thereon,a rotary shaft supported on said base and carrying contacts, 'a drum rotatably mounted on'said shaft, a coil spring Within said drum and having one end secured to said shaft and its other end to said drum, gears on said drum, an operating lever connected by other gears to said first-named gears and adapted to rotate said drum to tension said spring, and means for locking said shaft in position until said spring is tensioned and automatically releasing said shaft at a predetermined point.

4. A switch comprising a base, of insulating material having contact members thereon, a rotary shaft supported on said base and carrying contacts adapted to cooperate with said first-named contacts, a drum rotatably mounted on sa'id shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end secured to saididrum, a sup-.

porting casing on said base surrounding said drum and supporting the central portion 'of said shaft, gears on said drum, a shaft journaled in said casing, gears on said shaft meshing with said first-named gears, an operating handle mounted on said lastnamed shaft having dog members adapted to engagesaid last-named gears and adapted to rotate said drum through said gears to tension said spring, and means for looking said first-named shaft in position until said spring is tensioned and automatically releasing said shaft.

5. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a rotary shaft supported on said base and carrying contacts, a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end secured to said drum, asupporting casing on said base surrounding said drum and supporting'the central portion of said shaft, means for rotating said rum to tension said spring, and means for looking said shaft in position until said spring is tensioned and automatically releasing said shaft, said means comprising a cam secured to said drum and adapted to rotate therewith, a band mounted around said cam and having a projection thereonadapted to engage stop lugs on said casing, and means secured to said shaft and positively engaging said band.

6. A switch comprising a base of insulating material, a rotary shaft supported on said base and carrying contacts, a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, a coil spring havmg one end secured to said shaft and its other end secured to said drum, a supporting casing on said base surrounding said drum and supporting the central portion of said shaft, means for rotating said drum to tension said spring, and means for looking said shaft in position until said spring is tensioned and automatically releasing saidshaft, said means comprising a cam serec-5,5411

on, a rotary shaft supported. on said base and carrying contacts adapted to cooperate with said first-named contacts, a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end secured to said drum, a support-.

' said first-named shaft in position until said spring is tensioned and automatically releasing said shaft, said. means comprlsing a cam secured to one of said first-named gears and adapted to rotate therewith, a band mounted around said cam and having a projection thereon adapted to engage stop lugs on said casing, and a iocking disk member secured to said shaft having means for positively engaging said band.

8. A switch comprising a base having contact members thereon, a rotary shaft supported on said" base and carrying contacts, a drum on said shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end secured to said drum, gears on said drum, means for operating said gears to rotate said drum and tension said spring, a cam secured to one of said gears and adapt ed to rotate therewith, a band mounted around said cam and having a projection thereon adapted to engage stationary stops, and locking means for positively engaging said band,

9. A switch comprising a base of insulating material having contact members ther on, a rotary shaft supported on said base and carrying contacts, a drum mounted on said shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end to said drum, gears on said drum, an operating lever connected by other gears to said firstnamed gears and adapted to actuate said drum to tension said spring, and means for locking said shaft in position until said spring is tensioned and automatically releasing said shaft at a predetermined point.

10. A switch comprising a base of insulating material having contact members thereon, a rotary shaft supported on said base and carrying contacts, a drum mounted on said shaft, a coil spring having one end secured to said shaft and its other end to said drum, gears on said drum, an operating lever connected by other gears to said first named gears and adapted to actuate said drum to tension said spring, a cam secured to one of said first-named gears and adapted to rotate therewith, a band mounted around said cam having a projection thereon adapted to engage stationary stops, and a locking member secured to said shaft having means for positively engaging said band.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

JOHN P. HAYES. sons; sanunaar 

